Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-08-26


We are glad to chronicle an instance of
deviation from the rigid policy which has
marked the administration of the street
department.. Heretofore, ever since the
street lines and grades were established
by Mr.. Iinsley, the straight line has been
supreme. Taste, convenience, beauty, the
wishes of citizens and the dictates of COM
mon sense have not been ignored; but
they have been consulted always after
and not before the straight line; and if
the line came in conflict with them the
line has carried the day. If every resi-
dent on the street and every passer through
1t begged for little more roadway and Il
little less sidewalk in a crowded business
street. they might as well present their
petition to the west wind as to the street
committee. If the straight line ran
through row of noble elms or the cut
ting of the sidewalk down to grade would
damage a fine place a thousand or five
thousand dollars, the circumstances CT
owners and citizens have been futile.
Down came the trees, and the sidewalk
was cut down, even if the resident had to
reach his front door by ladder.
Everybody, of course, admits that a
suitable and sensible amount of grading
is desirable and necessary, in view of the
future growth and appearance of the city.
The trouble has been in the excessively
rigid policy of our street department, in
this matter of lines and grades-a policy
more rigid than las been permitted to
bear sway in Boston or Baltimore or a
| hundred other of the larger and hand
| Somer cities of this country
For once, however, the street depart
ment has permitted piece of sidewalk to
be laid with more reference to the profile
residents, than to the straight line.
Probably many of our readers will find it
difficult to take our word for this. But if
they will walk through the upper part of
Main street, they will find that in the
course of the Improvements in progress in
that fine street, the sidewalk in front Of
the residence and grounds of Mrs. Law
renee Barnes, has been tagged, not rigid
ly upon the street grade; but upon line
conforming to the surface, and rising IN
spots five or six feet above a straight line
drawn from corner to corner. How this
happened, we do not know but there it
is &: and it would seem that every person
of taste and sense must see that it looks
vastly better and is better in all respects,
than if the sidewalk had been sliced down
to grade. Whoever is responsible for this
deviation from the rule of the department
deserves the thanks of the public.
We do not see, now, why our citizens
should not call for the tagging of the
sidewalk of College street above the
rayine, on the general line of the surface
thereof. Heretofore no one has dared to
talk about tagging the sidewalk on that
portion.of College street though it is more
travelled than any other sidewalk in the
city off from Church street, lest the in
flexible straight line of the street depart
ment should uproot the splendid elms
which make College street one of the
finest summer streets on the continent
and thus destroy one of the chief attrac
tions of Burlington. But what is possible
in one case NAV be possible in others, and
as common sense has overruled the
straight line once, it may again. College
street sidewalk can be tagged with less
deviation from the grade on the map
than has been permitted on Main street
without killing the trees or ignoring the
interests of the residents 1t may not bt
necessary to curb and gutter that part OF
the street at present; but why should not
a line of tagging be laid, at least along
the north and most travelled side of Col
lege street above Wnooski avenue?